Toy oil drilling apparatus



Dec. 20, 1966 L. E. FREEMAN 3,292,301

TOY OIL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1964 INVENTOR.

Fig. 3, v I LLOYD E. FREEMAN Y j/amwomtsmgww fllfog gs United States Patent Ofiice Patented Dec. 20, 1966 3,292,301 TOY OIL DRILLING APPARATUS Lloyd E. Freeman, R.R. 1, Gosport, Ind. Filed Feb. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 346,611 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-39) The present invention relates to a toy drilling rig adapted for mounting on the rear of a toy truck.

Drill rigs are used for many present day purposes such as drilling of wells, driving of piles, and taking of earth samples. Since drill rigs are frequently seen by children off the highways and in town, a child can derive great pleasure by being enabled to simulate drilling operations. Consequently, one object of the present invention is to provide an attractive and realistic toy drill rig.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy drill rig which permits the use of twohands to operate the rig but with the hands on opposite sides of the rig so that the hands do not interfere with one another.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a toy drill rig which is relatively uncomplex in construction and which can be manufactured at relatively low cost with a small number of simple easily assembled parts.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the invention might include a toy drilling rig for mounting on the rear of a truck or the like comprising a frame, a tower pivotally connected at its lower central portion to the upper rear of said frame, a snap at the lower rear of said frame releasably engaging the lower end of said tower and maintaining it in an upright condition, a pulley rotatably mounted at the upper end of said tower, a drill weight, a line connected to said drill weight and hanging it from said second pulley, said line extending from said drill weight over said second pulley, and means for pulling and releasing the line extending over said pulley to reciprocate said drill weight.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a toy truck having the toy drill rig of the present invention mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the top drill rig taken also partially in section along the lines 22 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tower forming a part of the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a detail view of a clip or snap element forming a part of the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a toy truck having a toy drill rig 11 fixedly mounted thereon. The rig 11 comprises a rectangular frame including a pair of front-to-rear extending parallel angles 12. Fixed to the angles 12 are four upright angles 15 having fixed to their upper ends front-to-rear extending parallel members 16.

The frame further includes transversely extending members 17 fixed between the parallel members 16 and the parallel members 12. Pivotally mounted upon the rearward ends 20 of the members 16 is a tower 21 which has a shaft 22 fixed to the tower at the central lower portion thereof. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the shaft 22 has end portions 25 which project beyond the opposite side members 26 of the tower 21 and are journalled within the end portions 20 of the members 16.

The tower 21 includes bracing element elements 27 which maintain it in a rigid generally rectangular shape and also includes a pulley 30 which is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis upon a triangular pulley mount 31 secured to the upper end of the tower 21.

' The tower 21 is normally retained in an upright condition as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 by means of a resilient snap or clip 35 fixed to one of the angles 12. If desired, a pair of the snaps or clips 35 may be provided, one secured to each of the angles 12. It will be noted that the snap 35 includes an upwardly opening recess 36 which receives the lower horizontal member 37 of the tower 21. For movement of the truck and rig from place to place, the tower 21 can be unsnapped from the clip 35 and swung forwardly to the dotted line position illustrated in FIG. 1. A Windlass 40 including a crank 41 is rotatably mounted upon the parallel spaced, vertically extending members 15 centrally thereof and in such a manner that the crank 41 extends horizontally. It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the offset handle 42 of the crank 41 is on the side 45 of the frame. A further crank 46 is rotatably mounted on the frame and more particularly upon the members 12 at the central lower portion of the frame with the offset handle 47 of the crank 46 on the other side 50 of the frame. With the handles 42 and 47 on opposite sides of the frame 11, the child can easily operate both of the cranks without his hands interfering one with the other.

A pair of meshing spur gears 51 and 52 are provided with the spur gear 51 being fixedly mounted on the crank 46 for rotation thereby to drive the larger spur gear 52. The spur gear 52 is rotatably mounted upon the frame member 12 and thus is located at the lower rearward portion of the frame 11. A pulley mount 55 includes a pair of arms 56 which are pivotally mounted at their proximal ends at the forward end of the frame 11 and more particularly upon the upright members 15 by means of stub shafts 57. At the distal or apex end 60 of the pulley mount, there is rotatably mounted about a transverse horizontal axis a pulley 61. A line is fixed at one end to the Windlass 40 and can be coiled on the Windlass by operation of the crank 42. The line 65 extends from the Windlass below the pulley 61 upwardly over the pulley 30 and downwardly to a drilling element or weight 66. It.

can be seen that the element 66 is provided at its lower end with a percussion head 67 integral with the weight 66 and simulating the appearance of a standard drill bit or drill head.

In order to operate the present device, the tower 21 is swung upwardly to the solid line position shown in FIG. 1 and the base 37 of the tower is snapped into the member 35. The Windlass 40 is then adjusted until the drilling weight 66 is located at a proper height for drilling. Next,

the crank 47 is rotated causing the spur gears 51 and 52 to be rotated. The spur gear 52 has pivotally secured adjacent its periphery one end 71 of a link 70. The other drill rig. It will further be evident that the toy drill rig of the present invention is relatively uncomplicated in construction and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost with a small number of simple and easily assembled parts. It should be mentioned that, if desired, a guide might be provided over the pulley 30 and secured to the triangular pulley mount 31 to retain the line against jumping off of the pulley 30 while the device is in operation. It should also be mentioned that the present device could be operated by a battery driven electrical motor.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, 'the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A toy drilling rig for mounting on the rear of a truck having a bed portion or the like comprising a rectangular frame including a pair of upright parallel members mounted at the forward end of the bed portion of the truck, a Windlass including a crank extending horizontally and transversely of the bed and rotatably mounted on said upright parallel members with the offset handle of said crank being located on one side of said frame, a further crank extending horizontally and transversely of the bed and rotatably mounted on said frame at the central lower portion thereof with the offset handle of said crank on the other side of said frame, a pair of meshing spur gears one smaller and one larger, said smaller spur gear fixedly mounted on said further crank for rotation thereby to drive said larger spur gear, said larger spur gear being rotatably mounted on the lower rearward portion of said frame, a first pulley, a pulley mount having an equilateral triangular shape with the pulley rotatably mounted at the apex of the triangular shape for rotation about a horizontal axis and the base of the triangular shape swingably mounted on the forward end of said frame for swinging about a horizontal aXis transverse of the bed of said truck and generally above said Windlass, a link pivotally connected at its upper end to said pulley and pivotally connected at its lower end to said larger spur gear adjacent the periphery thereof, a tower pivotally connected at its lower central portion to the upper rear of said frame, a snap at the lower rear of said frame releasably engaging the lower end of said tower and maintaining it in an upright condition, a second pulley rotatably mounted at the upper end of said tower, a drill weight, a line connected to said drill weight and hanging it from said second pulley, said line extending from said drill weight over said second pulley downwardly beneath said first pulley and forwardly around said Windlass whereby said further crank can be rotated to reciprocate said drill Weight and said Windlass can be adjusted to position the location of reciprocation of said drill weight.

2. A toy drilling rig for mounting on the rear of a truck having a bed portion or the like comprising a frame, a Windlass including a crank extending horizontally and transversely of the bed portion and rotatably mounted on said frame with the offset handle of said crank being located on one side of said frame, a further crank extending horizontally and transversely of the bed and rotatably mounted on said frame at the central lower portion thereof with the offset handle of said further crank on the other side of said frame, a pair of meshing spur gears one smaller and one larger, said smaller spur gear fixedly mounted on said further crank for rotation thereby to drive said larger spur gear, said larger spur gear being rotatably mounted on the lower rearward portion of said frame, a first pulley, a pulley mount including a pair of diverging members With said first pulley rotatably mounted at the converging distal ends of said diverging members for rotation about a horizontal axis and the diverging distal ends of said diverging members swingably mounted on the forward end of said' frame for swinging about a horizontal axis transverse of the bed of said truck and generally above said Windlass, a link pivotally connected at its upper end to said pulley and pivotally connected at its lower end to said larger spur gear adjacent the periphery thereof, a tower pivotally connected at its lower central portion to the upper rear of said frame, a snap at the lower rear of said frame releasably engaging the lower end of said tower and maintaining it in an upright condition, a second pulley rotatably mounted at the upper end of said tower, a drill weight, a line connected to said drill Weight and hanging it from said second pulley, said line extending from said drill weight over said second pulley downwardly beneath said first pulley and forwardly around said Windlass whereby said further crank can be rotated to reciprocate said drill weight and said Windlass can be adjusted to position the location of reciprocation of said drill weight.

3. A toy drilling rig for mounting on the rear of a truck having a bed portion or the like comprising a frame, a crank extending horizontally and transversely of thebed portion and rotatably mounted on said frame at the central lower portion thereof with the offset handle of said crank on one side of said frame, a pair of meshing spur gears one smaller and one larger, said smaller spur gear fixedly mounted on said crank for rotation thereby to drive said larger spur gear, said larger spur gear being rotatably mounted on the lower rearward portion of said frame, a first pulley, a pulley mount including a pair of diverging members with said first pulley rotatably mounted at the converging distal ends of said diverging members for rotation about a horizontal axis and the diverging ends of said diverging members swingably mounted on the forward end of said frame for swinging about a horizontal axis transverse of the bed of said truck, a link pivotally connected at its upper end to said pulley and pivotally connected at its lower end to said larger: spur gear adjacent the periphery thereof, a tower pivotally connected at its lower central portion to the upper rear of said frame, a snap at the lower rear of said frame releasably engaging the lower end of said tower and maintaining it in an upright condition, a second pulley rotatably mounted at the upper end of said tower, a drill weight, a line connected to said drill weight and hanging it from said second pulley, said line extending from said drill weight over said second pulley downwardly beneath said first pulley and forwardly to the forward portion of said frame whereby said crank can be rotated to reciprow cate said drill weight.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,633,155 6/ 1927 Zabel 46-39 2,960,792 11/1960 Cyrus 4639- 3,001,763 9/1961 Pilot 46-40 X OTHER REFERENCES Germany printed application No. 1,106,656, May, l96l.i

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. L. J. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiner. 

3. A TOY DRILLING RIG FOR MOUNTING ON THE REAR OF A TRUCK HAVING A BED PORTION OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A FRAME, A CRANK EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY AND TRANSVERSELY OF THE BED PORTION AND ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AT THE CENTRAL LOWER PORTION THEREOF WITH THE OFFSET HANDLE OF SAID CRANK ON ONE SIDE OF SAID FRAME, A PAIR OF MESHING SPUR GEARS ONE SMALLER AND ONE LARGER, SAID SMALLER SPUR GEAR FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID CRANK FOR ROTATION THEREBY TO DRIVE SAID LARGER SPUR GEAR, SAID LARGER SPUR GEAR BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE LOWER REARWARD PORTION OF SAID FRAME, A FIRST PULLEY, A PULLEY MOUNT INCLUDING A PAIR OF DIVERGING MEMBERS WITH SAID FIRST PULLEY ROTATABLY MOUNTED AT THE CONVERGING DISTAL ENDS OF SAID DIVERGING MEMBERS FOR ROTATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS AND THE DIVERGING ENDS OF SAID DIVERGING MEMBERS SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON THE FORWARD END OF SAID FRAME FOR SWINGING ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS TRANSVERSE OF THE BED OF SAID TRUCK, A LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS UPPER END TO SAID PULLEY AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS LOWER END TO SAID LARGER SPUR GEAR ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, A TOWER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS LOWER CENTRAL PORTION TO THE UPPER REAR OF SAID FRAME, A SNAP AT THE LOWER REAR OF SAID FRAME RELEASABLY ENGAGING THE LOWER END OF SAID TOWER AND MAINTAINING IT IN AN UPRIGHT CONDITION, A SECOND PULLEY ROTATABLY MOUNTED AT THE UPPER END OF SAID TOWER, A DRILL WEIGHT, A LINE CONNECTED TO SAID DRILL WEIGHT AND HANGING IT FROM SAID SECOND PULLEY, SAID LINE EXTENDING FROM SAID DRILL WEIGHT OVER SAID SECOND PULLEY DOWNWARDLY BENEATH SAID FIRST PULLEY AND FORWARDLY TO THE FORWARD PORTION OF SAID FRAME WHEREBY SAID CRANK CAN BE ROTATED TO RECIPROCATE SAID DRILL WEIGHT. 